{"id":38465,"date":"2021-03-15T14:26:24","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T20:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=38465"},"modified":"2024-07-18T13:49:42","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T19:49:42","slug":"what-is-safe-after-getting-covid-19-vaccines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/what-is-safe-after-getting-covid-19-vaccines\/","title":{"rendered":"What is safe after getting COVID-19 vaccines?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"What's
People who have received their vaccines can enjoy new freedoms. But, what exactly is safe after you get your vaccine? Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now that you have your COVID-19 vaccine, what is safe? Can you gather indoors with friends and family?<\/p>\n

Is it safe to travel, dine in restaurants, meet friends for coffee, brunch or drinks?<\/p>\n

For the millions of Americans who are lucky enough to have had their vaccines, experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced new guidance<\/a> on March 8, 2021 that greatly enhances the freedoms that people who have their COVID-19 vaccines can enjoy.<\/p>\n

But, the virus that causes COVID-19 remains dangerous for those who are not protected. And, the new variants can slip past our defenses if we are not careful.<\/p>\n

So, we\u2019ve reviewed the new CDC guidance and consulted with Dr. Michelle Barron,\u00a0senior medical director of infection prevention and control for UCHealth<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0one of the top infectious disease experts in Colorado<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She likes the idea that people who are fully vaccinated can embrace more freedoms, but Barron still is advising caution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in the last few miles of the marathon. We\u2019re not at the finish line yet. We still have a couple of miles to go. We could collapse or fall or get hurt. We don\u2019t want that,” said Barron who is also a professor of medicine and infectious diseases<\/a> at the University of Colorado School of Medicine<\/a> on the Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So, here\u2019s what you can do and how to stay safe after getting your COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the new guidance from the CDC about gathering after getting a vaccine?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

CDC experts decided that \u201csmall gatherings among fully vaccinated people represent minimal risk.\u201d They also said that vaccinated people, like grandparents, would be safe to see family members again in person if any non-vaccinated people are not at high risk if they get COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s Barron\u2019s take on the new guidance.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting vaccines is fabulous,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She thinks CDC officials are trying to encourage people who are on the fence about getting vaccines to move forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you have your vaccine, you can hang out with your family. You are unlikely to infect each other,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

Still, because Barron has seen how dangerous and deadly the virus can be, and because variants are spreading in Colorado and throughout the U.S., Barron encourages people to remain vigilant.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not a free-for-all,\u201d Barron said. \u201cYou still need to consider risks. Maybe you and your husband are vaccinated, but your 20-year-old is not. Maybe grandma is coming to visit. You need to think about whether the unvaccinated person (the 20-year-old) is low risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

When am I considered “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Two weeks after receiving your vaccine or your second dose, you are considered \u201cfully vaccinated.\u201d People who receive the Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech vaccines need two doses. People who receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine only need a single dose.<\/p>\n

If I\u2019m fully-vaccinated what activities are safe now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Vaccinated people still need to use good judgment and consider specific situations, Barron said. Do you know for sure that others with whom you are hanging out are fully vaccinated? Do you trust them to be honest with you? Are they at high risk if they get sick? Are you gathering indoors \u2014 where risks of exposure are higher \u2014 or are you meeting friends and family outside?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe science would suggest that if you\u2019re fully vaccinated and you\u2019re beyond that 14-day window after your vaccine, you should be protected. But, that doesn\u2019t mean that you can\u2019t transmit the virus to others,\u2019\u2019 Barron said.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot
Dr. Michelle Barron. She helps explain what’s safe after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Also, there have been cases of fully vaccinated people getting COVID-19.<\/p>\n

So, Barron advises people to continue being cautious about exposing others post-vaccination.<\/p>\n

She recommends small gatherings (outdoors, if possible) with family and friends. She does not advise having any large gatherings or attending big public events.<\/p>\n

Indoor meals at restaurants are more risky, as is travel. (Please see more information below.)<\/p>\n

CDC experts say it is safe for fully-vaccinated people to:<\/strong><\/h2>\n